1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to the field of soil testing and more specifically to a device for testing soil samples in a simulated environment.
2. Description of Related Art
Seismic sensor systems process surface and subsurface waves for source classification, location, and identification of specific targets of interest. Federal agencies such as the US Army Corps of Engineers, the US Geological Survey and the Department of Homeland Security use shallowly buried seismic monitoring technologies to monitor and evaluate localized security and infrastructure hazards across a wide range of environments. Military sensor systems and technologies must be self-adapting for new environments and soil profiles.
The widespread use of shallow seismic sensor systems has increased the importance of understanding seismic response variability for different soil profiles, geological conditions, environments and climates. Researchers develop seismic characteristics for seismic sensor systems in specific soils under ideal field conditions. However, real-world conditions present more complex problems, introducing variables such as different soil types, fluid flow, drainage and varying soil moisture levels that cause changes in seismic wave propagation. Furthermore, these tests occur when the soil is under compression or “confinement”, preventing the tests from modeling the low-to zero-confinement conditions of near-surface environments. Seismic sensor systems may perform inaccurately during rainfall and in environments with higher soil moisture levels due to the inability of idealized characteristics to accommodate these changes.
There is an unmet need in the art for equipment to test the effects of both static and dynamic fluid on seismic wave propagation under near-surface conditions.